Doula Services

Saturday, 10 January 2015

Welcome, my name is Cindy Groves and I am The Country Celebrant. I am a civil celebrant which means that I can conduct weddings, naming ceremonies and funerals.#WeddingsMy wedding ceremonies are personal - no two are the same; they are hand written and my aim is to distil the spirit of the couple that I am writing for and to present their love in its finest form to all those who celebrate with them. I want every couple and their guests to be transported by the experience and for an element of the day to remain with them for ever.If I were to conduct the wedding of one of my children today, they would have the choice to marry in surroundings that are special to them. They would be unconstrained by style and time and they would control of the words spoken and the rituals observed.We use ancient Celtic traditions of hand fasting and broom jumping; we use Hebrew rituals of breaking glass. There are ceremonies involving light and colour that are uplifting and engaging and help to illustrate the union that they represent.#NamingsNaming ceremonies are the chance for the parents and grandparents, mentors/sponsors and selected guests to embrace the young life and to show their desire to be part of and to be accountable for the security and happiness of that child as it goes through life. The mentors/sponsors or trusted friends of the child in a naming ceremony will read a verse, sing a song or perform a ritual to show everyone that they are there to forge a chain of love around the child and his family, to provide succour and guidance and above all to celebrate the beginning of a new individual.#FuneralsFunerals give me the chance to portray, through words, poetry and music, the character and essence of the person who has died. It is an opportunity to allow those who mourn to remember with love and affection, a wry smile or even a loud guffaw what that person was to them. Funerals can be sad affairs; but actually they are an honour to observe and conduct.My favourite part of preparing for a funeral is the time spent with the family talking about "Fred"; it is often a teary time and we drink quantities of tea but the process of recall and the chance to talk honestly about "Fred" with a comparative stranger is cathartic. Most families open up after a bit and we have a giggle and I write until my arm nearly falls off and I come away with a jumble of funny stories, half remembered anecdotes and a sense of who Fred was and what he meant to those who mourn him.I hope that you have found the above interesting and informative. Please feel free to contact me if I can help you to celebrate on any occasion and very best wishes for 2015.The Country CelebrantBespoke Ceremonies | Well Written